t h e u n i v e r s i t y
Information for Entering Students
New Student Orientation :: Parent and Family Services :: Orientation Assistance for International Students :: Residential Life :: Health Requirements- Lane Health Center :: English Language CenterUndergraduate students entering the University are required to participate in an orientation program prior to their arrival. This required program is a valuable opportunity to prepare for a successful academic career at Northeastern University. During the months of June, July, and August for fall start and November and January for spring start, freshmen and transfer students will attend a selected orientation session designed to meet their particular needs. Several of the sessions are designated for freshmen; others are designated for transfer students. Each of Northeastern’s schools and colleges is assigned to specific sessions. Participants will attend a session hosted by the school or college to which they have been admitted.
The new student orientation staff includes orientation leaders, students who will serve as valuable resources for information and assistance throughout the program. In addition to the orientation leaders, staff and faculty from various campus offices and the school or college will be available to answer questions and to provide assistance in making arrangements for the fall or spring. During new student orientation, participants will complete placement exams, meet with representatives from their school or college to develop a fall class schedule, register for classes, and obtain a student identification card. Participants will also learn about life at Northeastern, including services and opportunities that will assist with their transition to the University. Students will be able to finalize details related to dining services, housing, and financial aid. In addition, participants will be able to meet other students from their respective college or school, discover the myriad of student involvement opportunities, and explore how cooperative education will enhance their experience at Northeastern. Student participants will stay in a campus residence hall during June, July, and August orientation; housing is not provided for the November or January orientation programs. Parents/family will participate in a separate but parallel program and will also be invited to stay in a campus residence hall during the summer program. Registration information will be mailed to incoming students who have paid their tuition deposit.
The Office of Parent Programs and Services serves as a resource to parents and families of Northeastern University students. Through active participation in internal and external University events and programs, this office outlines its services and programs and begins to develop a relationship with the NU parent and family population. Ongoing newsletters and programs will keep parents and family members connected to the University and informed of deadlines, events, and services, which will assist them as they support their student’s educational pursuits. During the academic year, parents and family members are invited to contact the office as they seek information or assistance in addressing concerns related to their student’s enrollment.
The Office of Parent Programs and Services will be expanding its active Parent Advisory Board to a larger, more comprehensive Parents Association. The association, NU PA, will be geared toward involving all NU families in the campus community and providing a greater scope of information and networks while your student is enrolled at Northeastern University.
NU parents and family members are encouraged to become members of the Parents Association as a means of participating in the student’s academic and cocurricular life.
ORIENTATION ASSISTANCE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The International Student and Scholar Institute (ISSI) organizes Orientation Assistance for International Students (OASIS) to facilitate the acculturation process for newly arrived international students while also providing a forum for intercultural interaction and learning. OASIS activities include an “airport welcome,” cultural enrichment programming, information sessions, immigration advising, regional excursions, intercultural/ diversity education seminars, and workshops on topics ranging from academic success to student life. The OASIS program, beginning prior to the start of the fall and spring semesters, comprises several weeks of programming that provides the international student an opportunity to gain familiarity with Northeastern in a cross-cultural context while forming friendships across cultures.
Northeastern University is pleased to offer all freshman students a housing guarantee through the sophomore year. More than 90 percent of the incoming class resides in one of our ten coed residence halls.
The University offers a variety of housing options tied to specific programs of study. These halls offer students a supportive, achievement-oriented environment with opportunities for continued learning and sharing outside the classroom. Academic floors commonly feature tutoring, advising, and study groups, as well as unique programs designed to promote student growth and advancement. The University also recognizes that some students prefer to live in an environment of shared values and choices. Lifestyle/cultural housing options are also available.
The Department of Residential Life strives to create a community for students by providing programs, services, and facilities that promote all residents’ educational, social, and cultural development. Resident assistants and professional staff are skilled in counseling, crisis intervention, and conflict resolution. Each floor and building is a unique community, and anything that affects the welfare of that community is of concern to staff. Each residence hall is staffed by a complex coordinator, resident director, assistant resident director, and/or graduate assistant who maintain close contact with students and serve as administrators for the building.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS—LANE HEALTH CENTER
The Lane Health Center’s Health Report is included with confirmation of the new student orientation session date. It must be completed and returned when students register at their orientation session. The health statement section (to be signed by a health-care provider) provides an assessment of the entering student’s health status. The completed required record of immunity section is necessary for compliance with the Massachusetts College Immunization Law. Failure to meet the requirement will prevent future course registration.
Additionally, further documentation of immunity is mandatory for students in Bouvé College of Health Sciences.
Visit www.lanehealthcenter.neu.edu to access the Health Report online.
The English Language Center (ELC) conducts English language testing for incoming international students. This testing is mandatory for undergraduate conditionally admitted students.
The testing consists of five tests: grammar, writing, reading, listening, and speaking. Most departments on campus require that students achieve a score of at least seventy on all five tests in order to be admitted into full-time academic studies. The School of Nursing and the College of Computer and Information Science require scores of eighty.
Any department may refer students for testing. Students must come on time on designated test days with a referral form in hand. Students without referral forms will not be tested. Referral forms and a schedule of test dates are available by request through the ELC.
The ELC also offers a variety of language support courses for students who need assistance.
Advisers and departments are encouraged to contact the associate director of the ELC with any questions regarding testing or language support for international students.
For further information about English language testing, visit the ELC Web site, www.ace.neu.edu/elc or contact the ELC office, 406 Ell Hall, 617.373.2455.
New Student Orientation :: Parent and Family Services :: Orientation Assistance for International Students :: Residential Life :: Health Requirements- Lane Health Center :: English Language Center